Love, Or Something Like It
by Psychotic Female of Many Names
Summary: Birthday present for Annilaia, two-shot: Bella loves a musician who has his own website. They have become good friends over IMs. When she talks to Alice's brother, she connects with him, and it turns out he writes music, too... AU, AH, slightly OOC


**It's Love, Or Something Like It**

_by Psychotic_

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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

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NOTE: This is a birthday present for Annilaia, because she's just that awesome. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNIE!

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_--Conversation with musicinsomniac_

_bluebellfalls (8:18 PM): what does your name even mean?_

_musicinsomniac (8:19 PM): umm... it means that I can't sleep without music. actually, I don't usually sleep at all._

_bluebellfalls (8:19 PM): really? that's sad. I'm sorry! oh, by the way, when are you going to put up that new piece you said you recorded??_

_musicinsomniac (8:19 PM): soon, I think. tonight, maybe. I'm not sure. what do you think?_

_bluebellfalls (8:20 PM): put it up tonight!!!_

_musicinsomniac (8:20 PM): haha, okay, okay. I'll put it up tonight._

_bluebellfalls (8:20 PM): woohoo!_

I laughed and stretched, standing up from my computer. Edward was hilarious. Not to mention a wonderful piano player. He had a website where he posted his latest recorded compositions. He also had an email address where people could send in comments and critique, and I sent him one for every piece he had up. He usually replied to the emails, and I eventually just asked if he had a messanger that I could talk to him on -- wow, was I obsessed or what? He did, and we talked all the time. I got to know him very well, and he was a great person. It was too bad that both of us were too shy to ask where either lived or if we could have the other's phone number.

The doorbell rang and I glanced towards the front entrance before looking back at the computer. He had gone away, his message saying something about uploading a recording. I grinned and headed to the door. Dinner awaited me on the other side, and my stomach was growling furociously. I took the Chinese food from the delivery guy -- mm, Chinese -- and went back to my computer, opening up a carton of chicken broccoli. I dug in -- well, more like stuffed my face, but that sounds so... ugly -- and stared at the screen.

After a moment, I messaged Edward, asking about how the uploading was going, and he shushed me, saying that it always slowed up the process if I talked to him. I just laughed.

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I swore that as soon as I got ahold of that little pixie, she would be dead. I would rip her expensive, designer clothes to pieces, smother them in lighter fluid, and toss them into the fire. Then I would do the same to her shoes. And then her accessories. And then, finally, the pixie herself. It would be a slow, torturous process that I would surely enjoy.

After all, she had invaded my apartment while I was at work and threw out all my old clothes, switching them with garments of her choice. I was livid. Also -- when had she bought all of that for me? And how was I ever going to pay her back?!

My phone began to ring, and I looked at the caller ID. Oh, it was Alice. I scowled and picked it up. Without waiting for her to say anything, I started to shout into the mouthpiece.

"Mary Alice Cullen, if you think that you can just come in here and switch my perfectly good wardrobe to one of designer content, then you are completely wrong! I can't believe you would throw out all of my clothes -- especially my sweatpants! -- and buy me all new ones! You even got new shoes! How could you, Alice?! I swear, I will hunt you down and destroy all of your clothing! I'll dip them in lighter fluid and toss them in a fire and watch them burn! And I'll do the same to your shoes and accessories! And then I'll do it to you! I'll enjoy watching all of it -- including you -- burn to ashes in the beautiful flames! I will not tolerate you butting into my life like this! You can't just waltz in here and take the reins! Especially when you know for a fact that I have my period and it is horrible and I'm cramping beyong belief! You're not in charge of my life! It's MY LIFE, Alice! MINE!"

She hadn't said anything yet. That shocked me into silence. After a moment, I said, "Um, Alice?"

There was quiet chuckling on the other end. It sounded male. Oh, crap. "No, this isn't Alice. This is her brother, Edward. I was supposed to call and tell you that Alice won't be able to come over tomorrow because she was taken away on a surprise vacation by Jasper. Maybe I should call back another time...?"

"No, no, it's fine!" Oh, God, this was mortifying. I hid my face in my hands. "I'm so, so sorry, Edward. I thought you were Alice and I just went off..."

He laughed. "No, it's alright. It was entertaining. Should I call Alice and let her know that I'll be sending all of her things to her so that she can run and hide in some foreign country?"

This caused my horror to recede -- a bit. "Please do. And also relay everything that I said. Especially the lighter fluid and burning part."

"Can I help with that?"

I burst into laughter. "Sure, be my guest. Why, though?"

"She is always taking things of mine and replacing them with things she deems 'better.' She switched my wardrobe around, too. She does it quite often, actually."

I put my head in my hands. I hoped that she wouldn't continue to take my clothes. I really would burn her, then. Maybe even cut off all her limbs. Hm, that didn't sound too shabby...

"This is Bella, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. You called the right person." I was nodding, and then realized that he couldn't see me. Stupid.

Edward chuckled again. "Good. Why are you so angry with her for taking all your clothes and replacing them with designer ones?" He sounded genuinely curious.

And that started an entertaining night of talking with Alice's older brother.

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I learned that Edward was two years older than Alice, who was twenty-three -- making him two years older than me, too. He was born on June 20th. He didn't have a favorite color, he loved any kind of music besides rap and country, and he hated sticker nametags. Yeah, don't ask.

I, in turn, told him a lot about myself -- that I was an only child, that I was very clumsy, when I was born, how I had met Alice, and how many boyfriends I'd had.

Turns out we had a lot in common in the relationship department -- we had both only had one actual relationship before, and they had ended disasterously.

Edward had dated a girl named Lauren. She had seemed nice and sweet, but became clingy and too talkative once they started to go out. After awhile, she started to become more distant and seemed almost bored with him. He finally found out that she was sleeping with other guys, and they broke up.

I had dated Mike, a boy at my high school. He was kind and helpful, and when he asked me out, I didn't think it would hurt. We dated for quite awhile until I figured out that he was only dating me to get to my friend Jessica. I broke up with him and instead set him up with Jessica. We weren't bitter about it, and were still good friends.

"What are your hobbies?" It was my turn to ask him a question. We were playing a game, sort of: he would ask me a question and I would answer, then I would ask him one.

Edward seemed to think for a moment. "Listening to music and playing the piano. I write my own music, too."

"Really?" I was impressed. "That's so cool! Maybe I can hear a piece sometime?"

"Sure!" he agreed enthusiastically. "Now, what's your favorite book?"

I scoffed. "Oh, that's easy. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte."

"Why?" He was incredulous, and I laughed.

"Because it's wonderful. I love that Heathcliff and Kathy love each other, and that's really all that's good about them. The whole story is just touching in my opinion."

"Oh... Well, I suppose if you think of it that way..."

He still seemed unconvinced, but I dropped it. "Alright, what's your favorite classical piece?"

His answer was instant. "Claire de Lune by Debussy."

"I love that song! It's so beautiful."

"It really is."

We continued this way for a few more hours, at least until I looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. "Um, Edward, it's three a.m...."

"Seriously?! Wow, we talked for a long time."

I laughed and said, "Yes, we did. What's your cell phone number? I'll call you tomorrow and we can talk some more."

"That sounds great." I could practically hear the grin in his voice. He rattled off his number and we said our goodbyes before hanging up.

I quickly changed into pyjamas **(Haha, that's for you)** and climbed into bed. I had so much fun talking to Edward. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to sleep now...

Or... maybe I... would be able to...

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**A/N:** So it's a day late… I know. :/ I'm sorry, Annilaia! D: Happy belated b-day! There will be a second chapter to finish this off, making it a two-shot. I'm just too lazy to type it up right now, so the rest of your present shall come later.

_Psychotic Female of ManyNames_

_01.26.09_


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